Garter.



E. B. WINTERS.

. GARTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.25, 1914.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

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EDWARD BLOUNT W'INTERS, OF GOFFEYVILLE', KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO THE JOHNSON SPRING GAR'IER (10-, OF COFFEYVILLE, KANSAS.

GAB/PER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedFeb.9,1915.

Application filed March 25, 1914. Serial No. 827,116.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD B. WINTERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Coifeyville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to garters of the kind described in my Patent No. 1,022,217, dated April 2nd, 1912, and sometimes designated as spring garters.

The purpose of my invention is to produce a neat and durable garter, and one which is suificiently resilient for ordinary purposes, independently of any elasticity of the leg band.

My invention further relates to various improvements in garters generally, for the purpose of increasing the efiiciency thereof.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like letters indicate like parts, the figure showing a perspective of a garter made in accordance with my invention.

A metallic spring is shown at 1, and is made of a single length of wire. This wire is bent around two or three times, and is provided with upwardly extending bar portions 2, and from these portions there extend obliquely downward two other portions 3. The spring as a whole has roughly a U-form, the top ends being adapted to be pulled apart, and when so pulled apart they have a tendency to move back into their original positions. The bar-portions 2, 2 are normally parallel with each other.

A pad 4 is provided with two lobes 5, 5 integral with it, and separated by a slot 6. A leg band is shown at 7, and is connected by stitches 8 with one of the lobes 5, and is also connected with the adjacent portion 3 of the spring. The other portion of the spring is connected by a short band 9 secured to the pad with a clasp member'10. Another clasp member 11, which is adapted to engage the clasp member 10, is mounted upon the adjacent end of the leg band 7. A buckle 12, carried by-this leg band,'is used for lengthening and shortening the leg band, in order to adjust it in position when in use. A clasp 13 is connected with a loop 14 of webbing, this loop being secured to the lower end of the pad 4. By means of thread stitches or loops 15, thespring 1 is secured to the pad 4, and also to the loop 1 1. The clasp 13 is of proper form to adapt it to engage a button carried by the stocking and partially enveloped therein.

The operation of my device is asfollowsz The garter as a whole is fitted upon the wearers leg, the clasp 13 being adapted to engage a portion of the hose and being of any desired form. The buckle 12 is adjusted so that the leg band 7 fits roperly in position. A certain amount of tension, promotive of comfort as well as security of the parts to be held, is conferred upon the leg band 7 by adjusting the buckle 12 for this purpose. The tension'of the leg band places the spring under tension, so that the lobes 5, 5 are pulled slightly apart at their upper ends. The divergence of the lobes 5, 5 causes the upper portion of the pad to spread or become wider, to an extent commensurate with the degree of pull or tension exerted by the leg band. The form of the pad a is thus distorted according to different degrees of tension conferred upon the spring by ac tion of the leg band. The greater the tension the wider becomes the portions of the pad directly exposed to pressure in consequence of the increased tension.

The garter above described is very comfortable, as thepressure due to the pad is well distributed, and the pad as a whole has an amount of resilience and yieldability conferred upon it by the spring, and adapted to equalize the pressure exerted by the pad upon the wearers leg.

I do not limit myself to the precise construction shown, as variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit 01 my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A garter comprising a bifurcated pad, a spring secured to the members of said pad and havin substantially a U-form, for the purpose 0% normally holding said pad in such position that the bifurcation is nearly closed, and a leg band connected with different portions of said spring, for the purpose of pulling upon said spring and causing said bifurcation to open.

2. A garter comprising a pad provided with a pair of lobes and with a slot separating said lobes, a spring mounted upon said pad and made of a single length of wire,

I different portions of said spring being connected to said lobes in order that said spring may normally hold said lobes in predeternormally hold said lobes in such position as to maintain said slot nearly closed, and a leg band connected with said extending 15 portions of said spring.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD BLOUNT WINTERS.

Witnesses: v

D. H. MARTIN, M. H. WALLINGFORD, 

